Technology enterprises must be the “nucleus” in realizing the national aspiration of turning Viet Nam into ‘dragon’ by 2045, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

The Government chief named the mission at the first national forum on technology business development themed “aspiration, vision, and development orientations for a powerful Viet Nam,” that took place in Ha Noi on May 9.

According to PM Phuc, technology plays a major role for economic growth, helping Viet Nam escape from middle-income trap and become a developed country. 

Viet Nam set goal to become a prosperous industrial country by 2045 when over half of the population will be middle class and that goal may only be achieved through advancing science and technology and tech businesses.

To avoid middle-income trap, the first thing to do is to master technologies and management skills, invent new technologies, and produce high-quality goods, Phuc said.

As Viet Nam is at early stage of technological development, thus purchasing source technologies remains modest. The only way to make Viet Nam a powerful country is to absorb external technologies while creating new technologies, he emphasized.

Vietnamese technology enterprises should start by utilizing mankind technologies to resolve Vietnamese problems before being able to solve global issues.

Phuc said natural resources and cheap labor are no longer long-term advantages and therefore innovation and creativity are vital to enterprises and the economy. 

So far, digital-based commerce brought back about US$ 3.5 billion for Viet Nam, equivalent to 1.7% of GDP and the figure is forecast to hit US$ 42 billion by 2030. 

The country’s ICT sector has about 50,000 enterprises with a combined revenues of about US$ 100 billion. The country targets to house 100,000 ICT enterprises that need to transform development strategies, from assembling to manufacturing their own products.

“Make in Viet Nam”

PM Phuc reiterated that opportunities come and will not return, so the immediate task is to take prompt actions.

After 30 years of assembling, it is time for Viet Nam to manufacture Vietnamese products and Vietnamese technologies right in the country, he said.

The Government will adopt a national digital transformation strategy in 2019 towards building a digital economy and digital society and this is a chance for tech companies to join, according to PM Phuc.

He said that the first and core factor is to improve the socialist-oriented market economy in which innovations and development aspirations of each level, sector and business must be especially treasured.

Phuc voiced support for construction of zones for technological experimentation where pilot mechanisms may be applied.

He also said he will task the Ministry of Education and Training to mull over compulsory ICT and foreign language training at primary school level in a bid to increase capacity to access to ICT.